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Mike Modano

Mike Modano is widely considered to be the most successful America-born hockey player in NHL history. He was drafted first overall by the Minnesota North Stars in the 1988 NHL Draft. He went on to have an exceptional career and was the face of the Minnesota and Dallas franchises. As a member of the elite 500 Goal Club, Mike Modano cards are pursued by numerous hockey collectors.

Nine different Mike Modano rookie cards can be found in 1990-91 products. Because they were issued during a period in the hobby known for its excessive print runs, all of Modano's rookie cards are very affordable.

Mike Modano's earliest autograph cards can be found in 1995-96 Be A Player. He has two in the set, a regular version and a die-cut parallel.

His first memorabilia card was released in 1996-97 Upper Deck Hockey. It was one of the first game-used memorabilia cards ever produced in the sport. For that reason alone, it is a very desirable piece of hockey card history.

Mike Modano has always been a willing in-person signer throughout his career. His autographed memorabilia sees consistent demand. Because of his popularity around the league, that demand is not limited strictly to fans of the teams for which he played for during his NHL career.

Mike Modano Rookie Card Checklist

This is a plain card that doesn't get a lot of attention. More popular is the limited edition Tiffany version. Issued as part of a factory set, the Tiffany card has a glossy finish and a much smaller print run.

O-Pee-Chee was printed for the Canadian market. It shares the same design as Modano's Topps rookie card. The significant differences are the logo and the text on the back of the card. The O-Pee-Chee version is written in French and English

Designed as a higher-end trading card product, 1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier was very popular with collectors upon its release. The belief was that the set was a lot more limited. There's still a ton of it out there and prices have softened significantly from their peak.

This card's value suffers from being heavily over-produced (even for this period of excess). It is unfortunate because the card features a solid design, quality player image and detailed statistical and biographical information.

The Topps name has always been synonymous with sports cards. This card of Modano, in his rookie year, has nostalgic value. Being an American-born player and having a rookie card produced by an iconic American company like Topps might give this card a little added appeal.

The French version of 1990-91 Upper Deck was, at one time, thought to be produced in very small quantities. This initially created a run on the product and prices escalated quickly. Modano's rookie card rode that wave of value increase. Eventually, prices returned to realistic numbers once the rumors of its alleged short supply proved to be unfounded.

Mike Modano Autographed Memorabilia Buying Guide

Below you will find an example of what Mike Modano's authentic signature looks like. This can be used as a first point of reference for determining the legitimacy of autograph memorabilia, but is not a substitute for having your items authenticated by a well-respected professional autograph authentication company. Some of the trusted sources within the sports memorabilia market include the following companies: PSA, JSA, Tristar, and Mounted Memories. Click on any of the images below to view full size photos.

Mike Modano Cut Signature Exemplar:

Mike Modano Key Signature Attributes: An authentic Mike Modano signature autograph will exhibit several distinguishing characteristics. Regardless of the type of item, or when it was signed, look for the following signature features:

Mike Modano Signature Characteristics

The signature is largely defined by the initials "M-M," which are slightly larger than the other letters.

The signature is written in cursive on a relatively horizontal plane.

The letters "i-k-e" are formed as a single character combination.

The first "o" is unique in that it is not formed in a traditional circle shape.

Rob Bertrand | E-Mail Author | Rob is a former member of The Cardboard Connection Writing Staff and co-host of Cardboard Connection Radio.He is an avid collector with over 20 years of active experience in the hobby.